diff --git a/eomaps/__init__.py b/eomaps/__init__.py
index 959c260aa..bc2a416c9 100644
--- a/eomaps/__init__.py
+++ b/eomaps/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import importlib.metadata
 from .helpers import register_modules as _register_modules
 
 # address numpy runtime warning concerning binary incompatibility when
@@ -6,8 +7,8 @@
 
 from .eomaps import Maps
 from .mapsgrid import MapsGrid
-from ._version import __version__
 
+__version__ = importlib.metadata.version("eomaps")
 __author__ = "Raphael Quast"
 
 # Follow conventions used by cartopy to setup cache directory
diff --git a/eomaps/_version.py b/eomaps/_version.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 40d114c5b..000000000
--- a/eomaps/_version.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-__version__ = "7.3.3"
diff --git a/eomaps/eomaps.py b/eomaps/eomaps.py
index d9b3cbedd..98ca1b986 100644
--- a/eomaps/eomaps.py
+++ b/eomaps/eomaps.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 import gc
 from textwrap import fill
 from contextlib import contextmanager, ExitStack
+import importlib.metadata
 
 import numpy as np
 
@@ -71,7 +72,7 @@
 
 from ._data_manager import DataManager
 
-from ._version import __version__
+__version__ = importlib.metadata.version("eomaps")
 
 
 def _handle_backends():
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3489937aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+[build-system]
+requires = ["setuptools>=61.0"]
+build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
+
+[tool.setuptools.packages.find]
+include = ["eomaps"]
+
+[project]
+name = "eomaps"
+version = "7.4"
+description = "A library to create interactive maps of geographical datasets."
+requires-python = ">=3.8"
+
+authors = [
+  { name="Raphael Quast", email="raphael.quast@geo.tuwien.ac.at" },
+]
+
+keywords = ["Visualization", "Plotting", "Maps", "Geographical Data"]
+
+classifiers = [
+    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
+    "License :: OSI Approved :: GNU General Public License v3 or later (GPLv3+)",
+    "Operating System :: OS Independent",
+]
+
+dependencies = [
+    "numpy",
+    "scipy",
+    "matplotlib>=3.4",
+    "cartopy>=0.20.0",
+    "descartes",
+    "pyproj",
+    "packaging",
+    "click"
+]
+
+[project.optional-dependencies]
+
+all = ["eomaps[io, classify, wms, shade, gui]"]
+
+all_nogui = ["eomaps[io, classify, wms, shade]"]
+
+io = [
+    "pandas",
+    "geopandas",
+    "xarray",
+    "netcdf4",
+    "rioxarray"
+]
+
+classify = ["mapclassify"]
+
+wms = [
+    "owslib",
+    "requests",
+    "cairosvg",
+]
+
+shade = ["datashader"]
+
+gui = [
+    "PyQt5",
+    "qtpy"
+    ]
+
+
+[project.urls]
+Documentation = "https://eomaps.readthedocs.io/"
+Repository = "https://github.com/raphaelquast/eomaps"
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
deleted file mode 100644
index a1cbf5775..000000000
--- a/setup.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,72 +0,0 @@
-# -*- coding: UTF-8 -*-
-
-"""
-This file is part of EOmaps.
-For COPYING and LICENSE details, please refer to the LICENSE file
-"""
-from setuptools import setup, find_packages
-from pathlib import Path
-import re
-
-# add the README as long-description
-this_directory = Path(__file__).parent
-try:
-    long_description = (this_directory / "README.md").read_text()
-except Exception:
-    long_description = "A library to create interactive maps of geographical datasets."
-
-# get version-number from _version.py
-try:
-    with open(this_directory / "eomaps" / "_version.py") as file:
-        (version,) = re.findall('__version__ = "(.*)"', file.read())
-except Exception:
-    version = "undefined"
-
-setup(
-    name="EOmaps",
-    version=version,
-    description="A library to create interactive maps of geographical datasets.",
-    packages=find_packages(),
-    package_dir={"eomaps": "eomaps"},
-    package_data={"eomaps": ["logo.png", "NE_features.json", "qtcompanion/icons/*"]},
-    # include_package_data=True,
-    author="Raphael Quast",
-    author_email="raphael.quast@geo.tuwien.ac.at",
-    maintainer="Raphael Quast",
-    maintainer_email="raphael.quast@geo.tuwien.ac.at",
-    license="GNU General Public License v3 or later (GPLv3+)",
-    url="https://github.com/raphaelquast/maps",
-    long_description=long_description,
-    long_description_content_type="text/markdown",
-    install_requires=[
-        "numpy",
-        "scipy",
-        "pandas",
-        "matplotlib>=3.4",
-        "cartopy>=0.20.0",
-        "descartes",
-        "mapclassify",
-        "pyproj",
-        "pyepsg",
-        "geopandas",
-        "owslib",
-        "requests",
-        "xmltodict",
-        "cairosvg",
-        "packaging",
-        "click",
-        "qtpy",
-    ],
-    entry_points={"console_scripts": ["eomaps = eomaps.scripts.open:cli"]},
-    keywords=["visualization", "plotting", "maps", "geographical data"],
-    # See https://pypi.python.org/pypi?%3Aaction=list_classifiers
-    classifiers=[
-        "Intended Audience :: Science/Research",
-        "Topic :: Scientific/Engineering :: Visualization",
-        "License :: OSI Approved :: GNU General Public License v3 or later (GPLv3+)",
-        # Pick your license as you wish (should match "license" above)
-        # ~ 'License :: OSI Approved :: MIT License',
-        "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7",
-    ],
-    license_files=("LICENSE",),
-)